Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-06

VINO mas IorBotten ali her faithful
friends"
| "'Nunziata, il is you who have been
unkind you have not spoken to
me-"
| "Signorina, how could / speak II
| l open my lips the Signorina cries,
Leave me in peace Beside, my hear
has been weighed down. These are
dark days for the country"
"What do you mean, 'Nunziata y
asked Francesca. A swift flash Of re.
membrane darted through her brain.
| "Aime While the Signorina ha:
been shut-up alone, taking no part in
our troubles, many hearts have been
broken. There have been soldiers
here, soldiers there, Garibaldina every.
where, and the news Of battles, and
every town has widows and orphans
and mothers weeping for their sons.
Francesca was stunned. All this time
she had forgotten the struggles Of hel
country.
"Tbere was a horrible battle few
days ago, and much slaughter. Many
Of our youth went this morning al
daybreak to join the Garibaldina.
Annunziata's bps trembled. Frances
cas- heart gave great bound and then
stood still. Her lips turned white. Her
great eyes dilated with q sudden terror.
Annunziata began again. "The Sig
norma has told us all that she wishes to
die, and lie down below in the little
churchyard. Il care for nothing, no
thing, let me die cried the Signorina.
But the Signor Antonio, good, patient
soul, he too cares for nothing now no.
thing for himself. The Signor Antonio
has gone TO die for his country"
"'Nunziata !" There was a harsh
jarring of pain in Francesca's cry but
Annunziata went on with touch OF
that cruelty that sometimes leaps up in
the gentlest creatures.
eyes, the Signor Antonio wastes no
breath on words. He has gone to die,
and all because the Signorina's soft
Italian heart has gone away, and an
other heart come, hard as steel, hard
as iron, harder than the marble OF Car
rara."
"Annunziata, you are wicked, cruel
old woman!" cried Francesca, pas
sionately. "You know that it is not
true. You know that Antonio would
never have refused the call Of his coun-
try" Her great eyes were flashing,
shining so brilliantly that her face
seemed TRANSPORTED in the tremulous
glow. Annunzista thought she was
more beautiful than all the saints in
heaven. They we're both so wretched
and their hearts beat in harmony of
sorrow; but they were also angry and
excited and unforgiving.
"Ahi. The Signorina is happy to
console herself so easily" moaned
Annunziata, as she went away down
the large fight Of stairs :.
This sharp touch of life's reality
worked change in Francesca. She
was pursued by haunting uneasiness
for her brother Antonio. She insisted
fiercely to herself that he was merely q
brother. The best and kindest of
brothers, more faithful slave, would
never be found ; but still n brother
only. She crept down stairs. The
Professore was in his studio; his head
bent over large tome.
"Babbo, don't bring any Of the stu
dents here, and then | will have my
dinner with you" she said.
The Professore looked up with a
preoccupied smile, but he stroked the
small black head and promised ODE
dience.
But somehow, dinner alone with
Babbo, while Annunziata lowered re-
proachfully near, oppressed Francesca.
She and Babbo never had much to say
to each other, but now she seemed to
have lost touch Of him altogether.
Some chord that had bound her to him
had snapped. In tiny world they
stood wide distances apart. Was it that
Antonio with his quick sympathy and
gentle tact had revealed these two OPP
posite beings to one another and united
them in the light of his large under
standing?
Truly there was q great void without
Antonio. She never remembered time
when he had not filled her life with
sense of tenderness and protecting love.
Yet, till he was gone she hardly knew
he was there. Strange and inexplicable
enigma 1t all came upon her now in
the light of revelation. II Antonio
never came home again how little and
empty her life would be. Asharp pang
of remorse smote her, which dulled into
a gnawing pain as the days dragged by
in the shadow of suspense.
She liked row to sit under the shade
of the gray-green olive-trees on the
sunny vine -trellised terrace.
She could hear the wind rustling in
the bamboos in the dry ditch. 1t was
there she used to sit. with Antonio on
the worn stone bench and watch for
Babbo coming home from his scientific
laboratory. 1t pleased her to linger
there in the fragrant stiffness, while the
lizards crept close to her feet with their
strange bright eyes staring at her out
of little palpitating bodies. Sometimes
Antonio had lured green lizard to
crawl on his hand.
Kind, faithful Antonio, dearest OF
brothers II he could but return and
the old peaceful life go on as before,
reading and singing and planting flow
ers, and laughing with Annunziata, as
happiest brother and sister, while
Babbo smiled at them through the
amiable mists that rose from his dreams
of queer beasts. But Francesca was
troubled at the bottom of her heart, for
she knew she was deceiying herself and
caressing an idle fancy. Antonio loved
her with no brotherly love.
Then Francesca was aware of voices
creeping upon the silence. The air
was broken by wandering cries. From
the distance relied sounds of tramping
feet. They came nearer and nearer,
hurrying along the street, and loud
buzzahs burst forth "Viva la patria--
viva il Garibaldi--viva il Re 7" Now
and then the wailing OF woman rose
plaintively amid the joyous shouts,
Observation-Disclosures la patria-"
Suddenly there was a stiffness, and,
after space, q shrill scream from An
nunziata. Francesca sprang to her
feet and moved quickly across the gar
den. The Professore appeared in the
portico with his hair blown about and
his eyes scared and starting from under
his shaggy gray brows.
"Carina, carina, he suffered, and,
seizing Francesca's hand, he drew her
into the large stone kitchen.
There was quite a crowd about the